Year of the Rabbit
by Velveteen
Summary: Slight Momiji x Ayame finished
1. Default Chapter

Notes: I thought it would be cute to write a Momiji x Ayame fic, and I've been working on it diligently and its not coming out half bad, so I thought I'd post it up. n.n I haven't seen all of Fruits Basket yet, so forgive me if there are mistakes.  
  
Disclaimer: All these characters are not copyright me, etc.  
  
  
  
Year of the Rabbit  
  
"Ohayo Momiji-kun!"  
  
"Ohayo Tohru!"  
  
Kyou glared at Momiji over Tohru's shoulder. Momoji ignored this, being in an incredibly cheerful mood, "Ohayo Kyou!"  
  
"Oi, Momiji," Kyou grudgingly said.  
  
"Ohayo gozaimasu Momiji!" Yuki said enthusiatically, smiling.  
  
"Yuki!" Momiji responded, "What a beautiful day, ne?" He twirled in a circle, taking in the still damp grass, fresh air, and clear morning sky.  
  
"Hai," replied Yuki, smiling at Momiji's still childish antics.  
  
"The snow melted into spring," said Tohru softly.  
  
"Eh? Nani?" said Kyou, who hadn't been paying attention.  
  
"Nevermind," replied Tohru, "Shall we go?"  
  
"Hai, Honda-san," smiled Yuki.  
  
Kyou thought everyone looked rather stupid standing around grinning, so he stalked off. Tohru followed, chatting with Yuki about English class. Momiji watched them together, feeling content that at last the sadness was gone from Yuki's eyes. He ran to catch up. As they reached the school, Momiji left themto go to his own shoe locker.  
  
During the school day Momiji saw Yuki-tachi several times, but when it came time to leave, he slipped on his shoes, pausing to see if the others were out yet. Kyou and Tohru were chatting towards the left side of the grounds near the road out to the street. Yuki joined them shortly, Kyou yelled something at him, and they left, heading down the street.  
  
Momiji paused, then headed out. A group of upper classmen girls passed him, one looking over and calling "Kawaii!" Momiji smiled at her, then turned the way opposite of Yuki-tachi, up the street.  
  
Sometimes Momiji would wake up early, before Hatsuharu, and leave to walk over to Shigure's house so he could walk to school with Kyou, Tohru, and Yuki. He like dbeing with them because Tohru and Yuki were so nice to him, Yuki and Kyou never asked why he walked all the way to Shigure's house. They both knew why, and Momiji was grateful for their silence.  
  
As he rounded the corner before he reached the Souma house, a voice stopped him. Hatsuharu was leaning against a wall, the dappled sunlight playing over his face from the leaves of the overhanging trees.  
  
"Haru," said Momiji, and Hatsuharu joined Momiji on the short walk to the house. As Momiji and Hatsuharu reached the huge doors, they swung open. Inside the walls of the Souma land, everyone was busy. Several of the wives had decided to hang the laundry outside. The sheets and colors swayed gracefully in the breeze. At Momiji's aunt's house, people were airing out the futons. Some of the Soumas in highschool had joined the smaller children in building a western tent. Their laughter reached Momiji's ears. He looked around for Hatsuharu, but he had already disappeared.  
  
Momiji wandered absentmindedly towards Hatori's house, and sat on the ledge overlooking the new garden Hatori had planted. He rested in the sunlight a bit, and listened to snippets of conversations the breeze passed on. Momiji ran a hand through his hair, and sighed happily. It was a perfect day. Except.  
  
"Hatori-san, why do I feel lonely?" he said without turning around, "I mean, I have you and Hatsuharu and Shigure and Yuki and Tohru. Why am I lonely?"  
  
Hatori sat down beside Momiji, "How did you know I was there?"  
  
Your door has a tiny squeak," said Momiji.  
  
"Ah," replied Hatori, and stared at his garden. Momiji stayed silent, watching him. At last Hatori answered him, "All the Jyuunishi are lonely"  
  
Momiji shook his head, "Yuki isn't lonely."  
  
Hatori glanced at him.  
  
"Yuki has Tohru," continued Momiji, concentrating on tracing a patteron on the wood floor, "I saw him. Today, on the way to school, he wasn't."  
  
"Once," replied Hatori, "I was not lonely. It.it's hard to be lonely, but its harder to be in love. We have been lonely all our lives. We, the Jyuunishi, are used to it. Love is fragile, a new careful feeling. It is so hard to not feel lonely; because of what we are we cannot participate, cannot hug or kiss our loved, without the curse coming into play. After love, you slide back into the lonliness like a well-worn shirt, but know you know what you don't have. You are lonely because even though you have us, Momiji-kun, you do not have the rest of the world."  
  
Hatori felt a hand curl around his arm.  
  
"I still like being a Jyuunishi," said Momiji, "because I have Hatori- tachi."  
  
Hatori reached over and wrapped Momiji in a hug, "I am glad I have Momiji- tachi too," he whispered, and Momiji felt a tear drop onto his neck. When Hatori pulled away, his face was as stoic as ever.  
  
For a few minutes they watched the leaves sway, then Hatori got up and went back into his office.  
  
I promise it gets happier than this. ^^;;; 


	2. A Fear

"Oi, 'Gure-san!" called Ayame playfully, walking into Shigure's house without bothering to knock.  
  
"Ah, Aya!" exclaimed Shigure from somewhere in the house. Ayame soon  
  
found him in his 'study', surrounded by crumpled paper covered in ink. Shigure sighed happily and lit a cigarette, eyes closed in contentment.  
  
"Writer's block?" asked Ayame sympathetically.  
  
Shigure inhaled and considered, "No."  
  
"Whaaaaaaat?" whined Ayame, "Then there is obviously no excuse for you not coming to visit your darling Aya."  
  
"Ta daaaaa!" Shigure said, and held up a picture he had obviously been working on for quite a while. It was of Yuki surrounded by hundreds of screaming girls, with 'Prince' written elegantly underneath. Shigure giggled malevolently, "I'm taping it to his door today."  
  
"Is Yuki-kun popular with the girls?" asked Ayame curiously, kicking some paper to the side so he could sit down.  
  
Shigure offered him the cigarette.  
  
Ayame made a face, "Between you and Hatori, I swear. . ."  
  
Shigure shrugged, and rested the cigarette on his lower lip, "Your loss." He paused, "Yuki-kun is pretty popular. He even has a fan club. He ignores it though."  
  
"A fanclub!" marvelled Ayame, "Taking right after his aniki."  
  
"How is Ha-san doing?" asked Shigure after a moment, putting the cigarette out.  
  
"He's good, a lot cheerier since the snow has melted," replied Ayame, "though he still tells me to refrain from drinking. I don't know why."  
  
Shigure chuckled, "He's one to talk. Hatori-sensei, with a penchant for cigarettes and beer."  
  
Ayame sighed, and leaned against the wall, "How is Yuki doing?"  
  
"Heh, he's doing a very good job charmimg Tohru-chan. You missed them, they left for school an hour ago."  
  
"I doubt very much that Yuki-kun would want to see me, especially if that's what he's doing," replied Ayame.  
  
"Ne, Aya. . ." Shigure hesitated, "Are you feeling okay? You seem a little down."  
  
"Na?" Ayame looked up from poking the paper around, "Gure-san is worried about me? Oh, what a manly man! My wittle heart may burst from love!" "Shut up," said Shigure, a little annoyed.  
  
"Well, actually . . ." Ayame trailed off, "Ano, Akito sent news that he wants to see me tonight."  
  
Shigure looked intently at Ayame, "about what?"  
  
Ayame shrugged, "I don't know. Does he ever tell?" There was a little tremble in Ayame's voice, barely detectable. Shigure recognized the tone as the same as Yuki's when Yuki had told Shigure that Akito had been to see him at school.  
  
Shigure moved over to the wall, sitting next to Ayame, "It shouldn't bother you."  
  
"I know it shouldn't, but it does!" burst out Ayame angrily. "Look at what happened to Ha-san! And HE isn't bothered by Akito!"  
  
Shigure brushed Ayame's hair away from his face. Ayame was shaking. "Aya, it doesn't matter if it bothers you."  
  
"It does. . ." Ayame's fist curled around a piece of paper, crushing it, "I hate it! Why does it bother me?"  
  
"Because of Yuki-kun," replied Shigure quietly, "Because of what happened to Yuki, because you are afraid it could happen to you, or it could happen to Yuki again."  
  
Ayame shut his eyes tightly, "Yuki-kun. . ."  
  
Shigure brought Ayame's head to rest against his shoulder. Ayame relaxed a bit as Shigure stroked his hair.  
  
"Its so bad," muttered Ayame, "I look up to Ha-san and I rely on 'Gure-san to take care of my emotions."  
  
"Nonsense," said Shigure briskly, "My darling Aya, I rely quite a bit on you too."  
  
Ayame smiled a little, "How so?"  
  
"Aya!" said Shigure, pretending to be shocked, "Who set me up with all those gorgeous women whose hearts I had to break?"  
  
Ayame snorted at that.  
  
"Well," said Shigure, "You'll be brave for me, Aya."  
  
"I guess so," Ayame stood up and mussed Shigure's hair affectionately, "Visit me some time, you sexy dog?"  
  
"A-ha-ha-ha, bad pun," replied Shigure dryly.  
  
Ayame flounced out of the room, his old self again, "Ja mata Gure- san!" "Ja!" called Shigure, getting up to find some tape. 


	3. A Gift

Thank you for your comments Mayorie and Lady Sto-Helit!! ^^ --  
  
Momiji rubbed his eyes sleepily, and gazed out his window at the full moon. It was either very late or very early. He pulled the covers around his body as he sat up, and tried to remember the reason for wanting to wake up at this time. Sou . . .  
  
Momiji smiled to himself and hummed a little tune as he stood up and rearranged his kimono. He paused, then reached underneath his pillow and pulled out a cloth bag. He opened the window and slid out to the cold ground below.  
  
He had to be careful no one saw him. Momiji stayed in the shadow of the house, then moved to the wall surrounding the Souma houses. IN a couple minutes he had made his way to Hatori's house, where he climbed up the few steps to his front door, and sat down.  
  
Momiji reached into the bag he had brought with him, and fished around in it for a couple second before pulling out a handful of smooth round stones. He looked at them, then reached in for another handful, looked at those stones, chose one, and placed the rest back in the bag. Rummaging through the bag again, he found a wrinkled piece of paper.  
  
He placed the stone on top of the paper, and looked at his gift to Hatori for a couple minutes, then looked out at the night sky, the familiar landscape of the Souma residence. Momiji listened to the low sound of cars humming by on the other side of the walls. He smiled once more, pleased with himself, and his assurance that this gift would make Hatori happy.  
  
Momiji stretched and yawned, getting up to leave for bed. Suddenly he froze. A door had slammed somewhere, and Momiji searched for where the sound had come from. A tall shadow passed between two houses near the Inner House, and disappeared.  
  
Curious but apprehensive, Momiji moved off the steps towards the houses. Peeking around the corner of one of them, he saw a tall figure with flowing hair loping towards bridge spanning the Souma koi pond. Hesitating one more time, Momiji followed.  
  
As Momiji disappeared around the house, a tiny light flickered in Hatori's. It silhouetted the figure of a man sitting against the frame of the door, holding a lighter up to his lips. The light faded down to a firefly speck, and Hatori slid open the door, letting a curl of smoke escape. He looked at the gift Momiji had left, and slid the door all the way open, and moved out onto the steps, leaving the blanket he had been wearing as a makeshift shirt inside. He picked up the paper and stone with his free hand and studied them.  
  
The stone was colored dark green, and had been drawn on with a marker, making the stone look like a curled up seahorse. Shigure always spent his time painting sets of Jyuunishi stones, and must have given Momiji a set.  
  
The paper was a crude drawing of Momiji smiling and holding out his hands. The stone had been carefully placed in Momiji's hands.  
  
Hatori smiled back at the drawing. Momiji was the only Jyuunishi so full of life and exuberance, the only one that could cheer up almost anyone.  
  
Absently, he sat holding the seahorse in one hand and the cigarette in the other, looking out at the night. 


	4. A Meeting

Ayame walked confidently through the halls of the Inner House, charming the young female attendant ushering him to Akito's room. He laughed loudly at the joke he had just told her, and she blushed. Pausing in front of a door, she said, "Here we are, Ayame-san. Akito-san is inside."  
  
"See you later, Ayame-san," she giggled, leaving him alone in the corridor as she hurried to do one of the many tasks in the large house.  
  
Ayame looked after her through the somewhat dim lights of the corridor, and listened the oak floor creak. He sighed; smiled to himself, then smoothed out the wrinkles in his crimson robe, and slid open the door, entered, and shut the door behind him.  
  
Akito's room was swallowed in the cool black of night. None of the light from the hall spilled into the room from under the door. The only light came from the open window that Akito was leaning against, his dark form and pale skin barely visible against the velvet blue of the sky. As Ayame's eyes focused, he could see only a hint of the walls and room from the starlight stealing in.  
  
"Ahah! Konbanwa Akito-san!" trumpeted Ayame.  
  
His boisterous good will was absorbed into the dark, barely fading before being extinguished.  
  
"Ayame." Akito, his voice as low and quiet as ever.  
  
Ayame faltered, then ran his fingers through his hair and tossed his head, "Beautiful night isn't it?"  
  
"How is Yuki doing?" asked Akito, ignoring Ayame's question.  
  
" . . . I haven't seen Yuki recently," replied Ayame, all vibrancy he had swept in with dissipating.  
  
"He's been spending much of his time with Tohru . . .san, ne?" Akito gazed out the window.  
  
"They do go to school together," countered Ayame, surprised at his own obvious impertinence towards the head of his family.  
  
Akito turned from the window to Ayame, reflected, and replied, "Sou." He paused again, and then staggered up from his seat. Ayame made no move to help him. Akito moved towards Ayame, who was still standing next to the door. Ayame could hear his kimono whispering on the tatami mat.  
  
"Forgive me, I have been sick recently," murmured Akito, "and have forgotten my manners. Do sit down." He motioned, a gesture barely discernable in the darkness. Ayame cautiously knelt on the floor, glancing around at the room as he did so. He could see nothing. Akito, almost invisible, moved a step forward, cloth rustling.  
  
Ayame felt a touch of fear. Being near Akito always made him extremely nervous. Akito was an extremely volatile person, fragile but capable of exploding in rage and shattering shrapnel on all the other members of the Souma family. The rest of the house seemed dead, without noise or light reaching into this chamber. The world seemed dead in this silence. Ayame glanced up at Akito, then casting his eyes towards the floor.  
  
"Ne," said Akito lightly, "you and Yuki do look very alike."  
  
Ayame froze. " . . .Hai."  
  
He could hear the rustle of cotton as Akito raised both his arms, and brought his hands to Ayame's vibrant white hair, twisted his fingers in the full strands. Ayame resisted a very strong urge to jerk himself away.  
  
Akito tugged gently on Ayame's hair, "I do miss my nezumi," he reflected, "his hair was softer than yours, his voice quieter."  
  
Akito moved his face downwards towards Ayame's, "but I think another songbird could be found, after mine has stolen away." Another tug, harder.  
  
"Ayame," Akito whispered, his cool breath passing next to Ayame's ear, "Do you know who that songbird might be?"  
  
Ayame's heart pounded in his chest. He wanted out of here, he wanted to run away, far away and back to his shop where Akito could not wind his long fingers in his hair and wrench at his soul. He had betrayed and abandoned for this moment not to happen, so that Akito could have a toy forever, as long as that toy was not him. He tried not to shudder and failed.  
  
Akito laughed, feeling the tremor pass through Ayame, tugged his hair one last time and freed his hands, resting one along Ayame's cheek as he backed away.  
  
"Well," said Akito, "I will call on you again. You are free to go."  
  
Ayame got up, opened the door, walked slowly out, shut the door, and stood on in the hall for about 5 minutes before he decided that it was a lovely night for a walk. A nice, long walk. He found an exit, walked out, neglecting to notice the slamming door behind him. He walked in a kind of daze to his favorite spot here when he was little, the koi pond.  
  
It would be too late to even think about calling on Ha-san, he decided, and he had just seen Shigure that afternoon. Ayame smiled faintly to himself and walked exactly across the bridge, and sat himself down. Out in the courtyard the full moon could be seen, and the silver light streamed down all around him, rippling off the water. Ayame peered into the depths, hoping to spot a black-speckled orange fish gliding through the water, but he saw none.  
  
Regardless, he swung his legs over the bridge, where his feet almost touched the water. He pondered how water rippled, just as he had done when he was younger, and spent sometime meditating on that.  
  
The moon had moved several inches across the sky when Ayame was woken from his daze by the sound of footsteps on the pebbled path to the bridge. He started, and looked over in alarm to see a delicate boy with blond hair and curious brown eyes looking over at him.  
  
"Who are you?" the boy asked, "Are you Ayame?"  
  
Ayame stared at the boy for a few moments. The boy said, "Well?"  
  
"Yeah, I am Ayame," he replied, and looked out over the water, "Who are you?"  
  
"Ah, I thought you were Ayame!" said the boy with a vivaciousness that caused Ayame to look back, "I recognized you from Hatori's house! You go there sometimes. You're a Jyuunishi, ne? I saw you at the celebration last year; it was my turn to dance! My name is Momiji. Ne, do you remember me?"  
  
Ayame blinked, and smiled at the Momiji's warm show of affection for an almost complete stranger.  
  
"Ne ne Ayame, can I sit with you on the bridge?" Momiji chirped.  
  
"Sure," Ayame said.  
  
Momiji ran up the bridge and plopped himself down next to Ayame, "When I heard the door slam I was sure I was going to get caught by someone who would ask questions about me and who I was and who I belonged to, but since you're a Jyuunishi I figured that now its okay! I'm so relieved; I would've had to explain to dad about someone seeing me out when I'm not supposed to be. Ne, are you related to Yuki? I heard Yuki complain about his brother, and I think his name was Ayame."  
  
Momiji stared up at Ayame with unforgivable cuteness.  
  
"I like your clothes," he said, and stared off to the other side of the pond.  
  
Ayame quietly laughed at Momiji's incessant rambling.  
  
"You know Yuki?" asked Ayame.  
  
"We go to school together!"  
  
Ayame looked down at Momiji, who was smiling at him.  
  
Ayame smiled back. 


	5. A Promise

Thank you Mynuet Nora D and dark vampire! *happy because of comments*  
  
Also after this chapter I think I'm going to be adding in more of the manga Momiji who talks in half-German.  
  
---  
  
Momiji was absolutely delighted at stumbling across another Jyuunishi. He had never really talked to Ayame before. He had seen Ayame coming and going from Hatori's house but thought nothing of it. Since Hatori was a doctor most of the Soumas visited him at one time or another through out the year.  
  
He snuck another glance at the Souma as Ayame's gaze returned to the koi pond. Momiji absorbed the sight of the lean figure with flowing hair and golden eyes sitting next to him. He was very impressed with the self- confidence Ayame contained in every fiber of his being.  
  
"Ne ne Ayame, when are you staying until?"  
  
Ayame's gaze stayed focused on the pond, "Leave the Souma residence? Who knows. Probably around the afternoon"  
  
"Are you going to see Hatori? He hasn't been busy lately. He's even planted a garden, and I've been helping. Hatori says that spring is his favorite season. Spring is pretty ne? I like it because its new every year."  
  
"I'll doubtless see Hatori for lunch, since you say he's not busy. Does Ha- san act serious when he's gardening?" Ayame snorted, picturing solemn Hatori thrust into a gardening outfit.  
  
"No no, Hatori is very easy going when he's gardening. He told me a joke yesterday," Momiji smiled, remembering.  
  
"I like spring too, because the air is clear," Ayame answered to Momiji's previous question.  
  
They sat in silence for a while, Momiji's energetic smile slowly turning into a look of contentment. The next time he spoke, he did not look over to Ayame, and his tone was one of thoughtfulness.  
  
"You and Hatori are good friends, ne. Once I asked Hatori how come one of the people that had came to visit him had white hair, like Hatsuharu. He told me 'That's Ayame, the snake'. That's how I knew who you were. The Jyuunishi don't really welcome each other into their lives, I think. I do know most of them, even Kyou who is mean to me. But I never know you or Ri. . . ri . . . What's his name?"  
  
"Ri-chan," Ayame prompted.  
  
"Hai! Ri-chan too. I think I've only seen him once. Shigure is the only one who seems to know everyone, he's so friendly."  
  
"'Gure-san likes to know everyone, he likes to feel close to people," Ayame added in, " I think . . .I think that not all the Jyuunishi welcome others because of what we are. Its very different."  
  
"Sou, ne." Momiji looked somber. Then he perked up a bit, remembering a question he had been meaning to ask, "Where do you buy your clothes?"  
  
Ayame threw back his shoulders and put on airs, "I made them myself!"  
  
"Sugoi!" marveled Momiji.  
  
"Ahaha, I know, I know. I'm very good at it, it's been my talent since I was young! Well, I still am young (as you can clearly see from my charm and good looks) but young like yourself!"  
  
"All your outfits must be so pretty! You're so lucky to have a talent like that!" Momiji gushed.  
  
"Hai, they are and I am!" replied Ayame enthusiastically.  
  
After a few more comments from Momiji and gracious reception of the aforementioned comments by Ayame, the two lapsed into a comfortable silence. Momiji gazed at nothing in particular, enjoying the sounds of the small ripples lapping at the bases of the bridge, and the lazy night noises of suburbia. He was a little astonished by the fact that all these years he had ignored this boisterous and kind presence in his life, dismissing Ayame as background noise. Momiji wondered what Hatori would think of his gift when he found it.  
  
"Ayame?"  
  
"Hai?"  
  
"Before you leave tomorrow, do you think you will have time to say goodbye?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"I never know when people come and go," said Momiji as means of explanation.  
  
"Sou ne. That's how it is in here," Ayame agreed, "I promise." 


	6. A Reflection

Thank you all for your comments! 3  
  
- - -  
  
Beside Ayame, Momiji yawned. The moon was drifting towards the horizon. Ayame estimated it was nearing three in the morning. He felt a nudge against his shoulder and glanced over to Momiji. The boy had fallen asleep, and was lightly resting his head on Ayame's arm.  
  
Ayame smiled at the look of peace on Momiji's sleeping face, then slowly moved both feet back onto the bridge. He turned, careful not to move Momiji. Ayame knelt and scooped Momiji's body into his arms, cradling the boy's head on his shoulder. Walking slowly, so as not to wake him, Ayame crossed the bridge.  
  
"Must have been really tired," Ayame murmured, and paused, surveying all the dark houses. Which one belonged to the boy in his arms? He felt a surge of panic, and looked around for any houses with lights.  
  
Ever since Ayame had been little, he had shirked any responsibility he had been given. Eventually everyone around him had grown used to this, instead of correcting it. Ayame was, after all, a Jyuunishi. They didn't know what Jyuunishi were supposed to act like. Hatori had been one of the most sympathetic towards him, cleaning up his mistakes and messes as a child, as class president, as the young owner of an independent business.  
  
'How do you know what you are supposed to do when no one will tell you?' Hatori had asked in amazement the first time the younger Jyuunishi had gotten away with a minor transgression in his presence. Hatori had lectured Ayame about the importance of following rules set by the elders, and Ayame had been puzzled and explained to Hatori that all of this was new to him. Neither had understood the other, but Hatori had accepted it.  
  
Ayame quickly got over his brief burst of alarm at holding responsibility over another person, even for this moment. He decided that Momiji could sleep in one of the spare rooms that he had in the house set up for him here. He would do just as well there. Ayame wandered along the paths between the Souma houses, trying to remember the path to his. Past two houses, a right, three more houses, a left, then to the second house.  
  
The one with the wind chime Ayame had put up last time he had stayed here, a good two years ago. It was one of almost a dozen vacant houses. Before he had arrived, it had been cleaned, and fresh futons had been stacked next to one of the walls.  
  
With difficulty, Ayame managed to set up a futon and lay Momiji on it, hesitating to let the source of warmth leave him. He glanced at the boy, and unconsciously leaned forward to brush the hair away from his closed eyes. He had forgotten how it felt to actually touch another person, to acknowledge their solidness. Ayame felt something twist inside.  
  
'You've never made such a caring gesture for Yuki,' part of his mind taunted, 'and here you are, doing this for an almost total stranger. What a good brother you are.' Ayame let the words fade and sighed. He didn't want to think anymore about his family tonight. Later he could deal with it.  
  
He wearily laid out another futon, too tired to move either himself or Momiji into another room, even though this space was a tad cramped. He unbuttoned his outer robe, and pushed it into a corner. Ayame was left, white hair on white cotton, his under robe. He sat down and looked over at Momiji. How odd it was he had found him this night, had told Ayame what he needed to hear, and to soothe him into a more or less calm state. How lucky, too.  
  
Ayame sighed and laid down, drifting off to sleep as he pulled over his covers. 


	7. A Parting

Gomen I didn't update for awhile, I've had tests and essays and writers block and nonesuch ^^;; - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Momiji gently shut the door behind him, careful not to wake the slightly snoring Ayame. He hurried back to his house, the cool air sweeping away the traces of sleepiness he still felt.  
  
Jogging along, he decided to tell his papa that he hadn't been home because he had gotten up early and went for a walk. Papa should be checking in on him about now. Everyday after eating breakfast with his wife and daughter, he would spend a couple minutes with Momiji before going to work.  
  
He reached the front of his house, and entered to find a note from his papa: Momiji-kun, gomen. I had to go to work early, and you weren't here. I hope you get home soon from wherever you are; your aunt was worried. I will be home around midnight and check in on you if you are awake.  
  
Momiji yawned and put the note down, deciding he needed more sleep. He promptly did so. The sun rose slowly and eventually became bright enough to wake him from his slumber. He finally woke up, and sighed, staring at his ceiling, and thought. Strange, ne. Finding Ayame like that. . .he had seemed lifeless. Momiji shrugged off the thought and got up.  
  
He checked the clock. It was midafternoon. He bounced up and got dressed in one of his outfits, then went outside, grabbing an onigiri from a tray left near his door. The Soumas were an incredibly rich and ancient family line. The house was supplied with dozens of servants to take care of the elderly, sick, and in Momiji's case, abandoned. Momiji, designated unable to take care of himself was left all three meals and his quarters (in the house of an elderly aunt) were regularly cleaned. That's why Shigure's house had been left such a mess, he had been reared here among luxury and laziness.  
  
Momiji climbed up a nearby tree, and onto the Souma wall, noticing the weather was a bit more summer like today. He looked out over the street, then back over the tops of the houses at the movement of the other people. His eyes wandered, looking for something he felt was missing,. He couldn't lay his finger on it. He walked along, searching. As he walked, he thought, 'It was super nice of Ayame to take care of me like that.' Momiji wondered if Ayame had left while Momiji had been taking his nap. He felt a little selfish asking the favor of Ayame, and it wasn't worth it if the thought of it being broken made Momiji sad.  
  
He spotted a flash of white, and it caught him by surprise. Ayame and Hatori walked around the corner of a house, deep in discussion. Momiji hesitated, not wanting to interrupt, but wanting to greet them. Hatori glanced up, "Ohayo Momiji." Ayame's head snapped up and the intensity of his stare, though not unfriendly, caught Momiji off guard. He lost his balance and fell headfirst off the wall. "Eheh," said Momiji, embarrassed, "Gomen." Ayame had caught him, and was staring at him in shock.  
  
"Momiji-kun, you should be more careful," chided Hatori.  
  
"Daijobu," replied Momiji as Ayame set him down. He patted Ayame's arm that was still gripping his shoulder reassuringly.  
  
"You know Ayame?" asked Hatori, his eyes shifting from one to another. Ayame was trying to look anywhere but at Hatori.  
  
"Shouldn't I?" asked Momiji, mock puzzled, "Ayame is Jyuunishi."  
  
"Sou," Hatori said.  
  
"Momiji! Suteki outfit!" exclaimed Ayame, stepping back to examine his clothes, "Nice color coordination . . .form . . .mmhmm," he said approvingly, "you would be fit to work in my shop."  
  
Hatori raised an eyebrow, and Ayame laughed, "Joke, joke!"  
  
"Na, well Ha-san was just walking me to the gates," said Ayame, "why don't you come along?" They walked the short distance to the gates.  
  
"Ja Ha-san!" called Ayame, waving fiercely.  
  
"Ja, Ayame," replied Hatori, and turned to leave.  
  
"Sayounara Ayame," said Momiji, looking up to try to catch some of that intensity he had seen earlier, but it wasn't there.  
  
Ayame shifted, "Mata, Momiji!" he called, and started off down the street.  
  
Momiji watched him go. 


End file.
